Scripture:(Lev 6:1-5 NKJV) And the LORD spoke to Moses, saying: {2} "If a person sins and commits a trespass against the LORD by lying to his neighbor about what was delivered to him for safekeeping, or about a pledge, or about a robbery, or if he has extorted from his neighbor, {3} "or if he has found what was lost and lies concerning it, and swears falsely; in any one of these things that a man may do in which he sins: {4} "then it shall be, because he has sinned and is guilty, that he shall restore what he has stolen, or the thing which he has extorted, or what was delivered to him for safekeeping, or the lost thing which he found, {5} "or all that about which he has sworn falsely. He shall restore its full value, add one-fifth more to it, and give it to whomever it belongs, on the day of his trespass offering.
Observation: Moses is now talking about all the specifics offerings to be presented by the people according to the different offenses or reasons. The one in the portion for today has to do with lying to a neighbor by robbing them, extortion, or even by finding something that belongs to the neighbor and keeping it. Not only was there to be a sacrifice to be offered, but full restitution was to be made to the owner, and an additional one-fifth.
Application: The passage really applies to marriage as well as to any relationship. If we withhold anything from our spouse – feelings, finances, intimacy, communication, time, etc., – it is robbing them of what rightly belongs to them. The solution, besides asking God for forgiveness, is to make an effort to give our spouse what they should rightly receive, and then go the extra mile, or give them the additional one-fifth, to make up for what they have not received from us before.
A Prayer You Can Say:Father, forgive us when we have kept to us what we should have given our spouse, and help us to make proper and generous restitution.
Used by permission of Adventist Family Ministries, North American Division of Seventh-day Adventists.
